Full set of game notes (25 pages) - pdf
Big Sky Conference standings

GAME PREVIEW

• Fresh off a Big Sky Conference-opening home win against Portland State, 80-75, Sacramento State (4-10, 1-0) will play its first league road game on Thursday at Idaho (9-5, 1-1). Tip-off at Cowan Spectrum is set for 7:05 p.m.
• The Hornets' win on Saturday came against a Portland State team that was ranked 20th in the nation in the Mid-Major poll and had just won at Cal by 25 points.
• In that win, the Hornets overcame a 16-point first half deficit, and won their first game of the season when trailing at halftime (47-36).
• The Hornets won their conference opener for the first time in three years and will look to start the league season 2-0 for just the third time since joining the Big Sky in 1996 (the 2005-06 and 2013-14 squads accomplished the feat).
• Sacramento State is seeking its first win away from home this season as the Hornets are 0-5 on the road and 0-4 when playing on a neutral court.
• Three of the last four games have been decided by exactly five points with Sacramento State coming out on top in two of those decisions (66-61 vs. CSUN, 80-75 vs. Portland St.).
•  The Hornets have played the entire season without senior guard and team co-captain Marcus Graves (back) who had started 62 straight games. In addition, the team played the first 10 games without guard Jiday Ugbaja (leg) who has played light minutes each of the last four games as he works his way back into the rotation.
• Idaho was picked as the conference favorites in both the Big Sky preseason coaches and media polls. The Vandals return all five starters from a team that went 19-14 overall and 12-6 in the conference a year ago.
• Idaho has been the league's best defensive team thus far, allowing just 64.4 points per game. The Vandals easily lead the Big Sky in defensive field goal percentage (.388), a mark which ranks 22nd in the nation.
• The 3-point line has been kind to the Vandals as the team ranks sixth in the nation in defending the 3-point line (.277) and 16th in 3-point percentage on offense (.411).
• Sacramento State is 4-16 all-time against Idaho, including an 81-67 loss in Moscow in the teams' only meeting a year ago.
• The Hornets are 2-10 when playing on the road against Idaho, but did sweep the season series from the Vandals two years ago, including a 65-63 victory in Moscow.

MULTIMEDIA OPTIONS

• Free video streams will be provided for every game (home or away) the rest of the season at www.WatchBigSky.com.
• Every game this year will be broadcast live on KTKZ 1380 AM The Answer with 21st-year play-by-play man Steve McElroy calling all the action.
• Fans outside the Sacramento area can listen to all games via www.hornetsports.com. The game can be found by clicking here.
• Links for all multimedia options, including live stats, can be found next to each game on the men's basketball schedule at www.hornetsports.com.

For Sacramento State's full set of game notes, please click here.